Les Stroud (2014)

What are the chances of there being a contest to spend a week or days surviving with you in the bush?

Hey Les! I'm a huge fan. You are a true expert. My question: Would it ever be possible to have an episode or two where you take a novice 'survivor' with you during one of your trips? So, you would be faced with the challenge of keeping yourself alive and helping this other person stay alive while teaching viewers some two man survival techniques. I would love to join you on one of your expeditions. I'll carry all the cameras!

Hello Les, I always wanted to know why you don't take sponsorship money from the clothing companies and gear companies?

Les, Recently a Mexican man washed ashore after being lost at sea for 13 months.
He mostly thought of tortillas, chicken and suicide. Did any of these thoughts cross your mind while you were adrift at sea? I saw how tough of a time you had surviving a only a week. Can you Imagine what it must be like to survive 13 months?

Was there ever an experience which you almost regretted becoming a survivalist?

I was watching the episode of Survivorman the other day in which you were surviving in the Canadian woods. In the episode you mentioned that you no longer welts or bumps from mosquito bites. Is that a permanent change in your body and how long did it take for you to get this immunity?

What was your biggest "Oh, Shit." moment?

discovery wanted to do a Les vs Man tracker episode, but Les said no when he demanded it be real and not staged.

Hey Les, just saw the episode where you are in Grenada and you use the life straw. How did you like the straw and what did water with turtle poop and dead birds taste like?

Joe Rogan always mentions your experience with a bipedal creature in your campsite. Is this true? Do you think it was a squatch? No proof or evidence of this creature from that night? How come there wasn't an investigation in that location for this creature that you saw/heard? I feel it would have answered a lot of questions if scientists or researchers were sent there to search the area.

Which is more difficult to deal with: extreme temperatures or being totally alone?

Some of my favorite Survivorman moments are watching your excitement after catching fish. What was the most memorable moral-boosting thing to happen to you during a survival ordeal?

Nothing but respect for you Les!! My whole family loves you Show.

Have you ever considered opening a bushcraft school or having classes to pass on some of the skills you've learned over the years?

Hello LES! I teach an outdoor education class for 7th & 8th graders and my kids love your show.

What are some activities that young outdoor enthusiasts can do to practice their survival skills without trekking out alone into the wild? I'd love to give your ideas to my students for practice. Thanks man and keep rocking that harmonica.

What was it like getting high in Papa New Guine?

I hear that. The few times I've voluntarily gone without food in the bush for a few days, it's always come down to beer and pizza. I don't really know why. There are plenty of other foods I like more than pizza. Something about pizza though. Maybe because even when it's not the best, it's still pizza.

What got you interested in survival and the outdoors?

What does a survivorman fear?

Hey Les I'm a really big fan.

My question is, where is the most preposterous place TV producers have wanted you to survive in?

Hi, Les. In addition to the survival, I love watching the show from the perspective of a filmmaker. What percentage would you say you allocate time for filmmaking versus survival? Are there certain shots you always look for (time lapse, insects crawling, water flowing, etc)? What's your favorite film equipment to use on your adventures? Thanks!

What is the least manliest thing about you?

When you go camping, do you do the whole survival thing like on the show? Or do you camp like most people do with a tent at a public campground and so on?

Hey Les! Is there anything you can think of that may be damaging to the environment but is also the best way to survive a given scenario?

Being a father, how would you suggest to motivate a 15 year old to do schoolwork that only gets thrills through wilderness activities and gaming?

What's the most unexplainable thing you've seen in the wild?

On the show you always seem to know what is poisonous and what isn't. Have you ever come across a situation, where hunger is top priority, and you end up taking a gamble on food, hoping it is okay to eat?

If so what was the food?

When will the Survivorman & Son episodes air? I can't wait to see those, thanks!

You stay classy, Les Stroud.

Hi Les, big fan, been watching you for years. My question is what is the worst illness you ever contracted while on your survivor man "sets"?

How much do you play harmonica while you are on a survival mission? I would probably play myself to sleep every night...

He said on a podcast (probably Rogans) that he was trying to get funding to film in the same location again for the pure purpose of trying to see if he can capture what he heard. I just hope discovery channel doesn't turn it into another bullshit "finding Bigfoot" bullshit

Hey Les, My 6 year old son LOVES Survivorman. I told him you were doing an AMA today and he wanted to know if, in the recent Temagami Forest episode, what you initially thought was wild cucumber, really was?

Hi Les, I'm a big fan of your work throughout the years. The most recent episode of survivorman in the Temagami was the most visually stunning episodes I've ever seen. You used to lug around these huge cameras with bad quality compared to now. I'm wondering how the change in technology has affected you since you started?

what is the one most important thing to surviving in all climates and conditions?

Does Discovery, or Science channels not let you show everything you want? Do we not see extreme survival? Are there places you would like to survive in but cannot due to legal reasons?

Do you carry an emergency GPS transmitter when you are in the wild?

Les, I absolutely love your shows and really respect what you do.

When you are shooting your show, and deciding how to handle situations, do you feel any burden of responsibility to your viewers?

Does the idea that others will follow your advice affect your choices?

Have you ever done something in a show that, in hindsight, you would consider bad advice?

With all of that in mind, what are your thoughts on the other "survival" shows that seem to lean more towards excitement and entertainment than solid survival advice?

I just watched your episode where you were stuck in a shack with two horses (sorry I forget the exact place, although it started with an 'A') and noticed you became imprisoned as it snowed for 25 hours straight. My question is, how do you remain calm and concentrated in a situation where you have absolutely nothing to do for such a long time?

Hey Les, I can't get over the idea of pooping in the middle of nowhere. Does it get easier the more you do it, or is it still weird as heck?

Hey Les, the boyfriend and I are big fans and just wanted to say thanks for coming back for another round of questions.

I know you've survived some pretty hairy places, and I was wondering if you ever had any hostile encounters with natives or local authorities?

Who were your most influential bushcraft/survival teachers?

Love your show man. I watch it all the time. So if i were to be camping/backpacking in an area with a lot of bears, how likely is it that I will be attacked/mauled? Is it an irrational fear, or is there any serious possibility of getting my ass mauled?

Honestly, I just think you're the bees knees.
* swoons *

Hi Les! Any plans to make more Beyond Survival shows? They fascinate me more than I can tell you.

Greetings from Temagami, Les!

I've been camping and watching Survivorman for my entire childhood, and you have been one of my biggest heroes growing up.

Just one question: what is one piece of equipment that you always have on you when you're "out there" in northern Ontario?

Hey Les, has there been any times when filming a show that you've had to be pulled out early by the crew?

Also, I noticed with the latest series you've been shooting quite a few aerial shots. Do you carry some kind of drone with you to achieve those?

The last time you did an AMA, you recommended not to drink your own urine when surviving in the wilderness. Has your outlook changed at all?

Hey Les big fan. And I was wondering in all of your years of loving the outdoors, have you ever been out hiking or anything like that and found someone lost and helped them to safety?

1.) How long do you believe you will continue making new episodes of Survivorman?

2.) I know there is going to be an upcoming Bigfoot edition of Survivorman. Did the filming of the episode increase or decrease your belief in the legend?

Hi Les!

Who was the most unexpected person or group you have been asked for survival tips from?

From what I understand you spent a year living a paleolithic lifestyle in the Canadian wilderness. What was the most difficult part of living like that and what would you do differently if you were to try again?

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Salutations Mr. Stroud,

I always find the noises of nature fascinating.

My questions for you are what is the quietest place you ever had to film at, and what was the noisiest?

Hi Les,
I watched Survivorman when I was in high school. Like, all of it. Multiple times over. So much so that my mother banned me from watching it and told me to "go outside and actually try surviving at something". Suffice it to say, I'm a big fan. (I still talk about harmonicas attracting certain curious (and possibly dangerous) animals.)

I have a few questions:

• I have spent years defending you saying, "NO! He really did do all of that by himself! He had no help! Because he's THE Survivorman and those are the rules!!" and I would just like to know, so I have a first-hand account of it, that really was you doing everything by yourself, right??

• What was the easiest VS. the most dangerous time you had while filming the show? I know in one of the episodes (Lost at Sea, I think) you had to be rescued by a crew about halfway through.

• My high school self HAS to know, because I always wondered...what did you do in between filming episodes of Survivorman? Someone told me that you would post up in the nearest 5-Star hotel and just hang out until your next episode came around.

Thank you for doing this! You're one of the coolest people I look up to!

Hi Les! What survival books would you recommend for a good reading?

What is one situation you got yourself into that you were genuinely scared for your life?

Has anyone ever returned one of your message in a bottle?

I am someone who never had the opportunity to go camping when I was a kid. I've gone on short hikes locally now that I am older. Any advice to someone who wants to learn to go out and camp for a few days out in the wilderness?

Hi Les, A somewhat deeper question here: As a 25 year old in Canada, I've noticed that a lot of my peers who want to see the beauty of the world skip Canada and head to Europe, Australia, etc. These people have typically never seen the country beyond their hometown. I'd say that we have everywhere else beat in terms of our natural landscapes. As someone who has experienced the outdoors all over the world, how does Canada really stack up? Do we, as a country, need to do a better job of promoting the spectacular areas within our own land so people can realize how lucky we really are and spend their time/money here before going elsewhere?

From my husband:

I've seen you use your branded Camillus knives on your show before, but not always. Do you switch up brands to see what works best?

Thanks for all your shows (from both of us). They've made me (bugdog, not Mr. Bugdog) quite popular at work because I can bust out with a number of ways to make fire or acquire drinking water - very important IT skills!

I've always been curious, what is your daily routine when you are not "surviving?"

How many networks did you pitch the show to before your series was picked up?

Les - Big Fan. Thank you for Survivor man, it's one of my favorites. A few questions:

1. Will you ever do a Survivor man in the Everglades?
2. What are your thoughts on Big Foot/Skunk Ape, real or fake?
3. Have you ever met someone who made it through a survival situation because of your show(s)?

Thanks!

Les, I always try to channel you when attempting to play harmonica for my band's cover of "When the Levee Breaks." What are your big musical influences?

Outside of the TV show, has there ever been a time when you were unintentionally in a survival situation where you felt your life was in danger?

Hey Les, I love your show! While you are filming for Survivorman, you always talk about how lonely your experiences are. What do you miss the most while you're secluded? When you get home after filming, what is the first thing you do?

First of all, I want to say that I've been a big fan of yours for years. I've seen everything that's been broadcast on Discovery, as well as Snowshoes and Solitude, Off the Grid, and some others. While I'm a big fan of Survivorman, the show that really blew me away was Beyond Survival. Please tell me, will you ever do something like that again? Thanks for everything you do, Les!

Hey Les, when you were traveling with the horses in Argentina did you actually know where that shelter was or was that just a lucky find? And was it really that windy?

hey Les, big fan of the show, what key of harmonica do you bring with you on your travels?